Family Member Exchange Program
by ImaginationRevelation
Summary: Ben and Rook compromise.


Ben is bored so he does the only logical thing he can think of: go to Mr. Smoothy's. Rook has taken the day off to visit Gwen so they can talk about their feelings and relationship problems.

Rayona has just broken up with Rook because she wants someone more traditional and a galactic alien fighting police officer was as far from traditional as substituting all of the Amber Ogia with marshmallows.

Rook was caught off guard with this rupture of their relationship. He could have any girl - really _any_ girl because he is such a chick magnet - on Revonnah, but he chose her. He always thought that Rayona was someone special, someone who was different, but he guesses he was wrong about her.

He is feeling devastated. His heart is broken. He needs to talk to someone. Even though Ben is Rook's best friend and partner, Rook cannot talk to him. Ben is not a good listener and he gives even worse advice, but Gwen is amazing in every way.

She is soft-spoken and more serious. He wonders how Gwen and Ben are even related since they are so different. Gwen will always be there for her friends and Rook is very happy to call her his companion. He needs her now.

Little does he know, Gwen is in a similar situation. She broke up with Kevin because she feels that he will always love his car more than her. She still has feelings for him, but she cannot stand being in second place in his life. She wants more. She deserves better.

So Gwen and Rook are meeting each other to vent about their feelings and be each other's shoulder to cry on. Ben was not invited for reasons stated above. Ben is a little hurt, but also relieved.

He does not want to be part of this pity party. It will be such a snore fest. BORING. He also does not want to admit that he is still haunted by his past romantic failures. He does not want to show any emotion. Superheroes should not be emotional. Feelings are for wusses and girls. He is neither.

'Romance is stupid. Romance sucks,' he thinks, taking a long sip from his smoothie.

Ben enunciates this thought with force, but he does not really believe it. Relationships really are not _that_ bad. They are just hard to maintain because he is a fulltime superhero and he is _always_ needed somewhere.

There is another thing. He really likes this one girl, but there is a certain dude standing in his way. He does not know how to get around this obstacle. Kidnapping the guy is an option, but not a preferable solution. Neither is killing.

He wonders if he could do it just ask her out, see how it goes, but he does not have the strength right now. He wonders if he is too chicken. 'Uh, no, that'll be Liam,' Ben muses.

The superhero is lost in his smoothie and his thoughts. He does not notice the Proto-TRUK landing next to the smoothie establishment.

Rook exits his vehicle. He looks a bit disheveled, a bit nervous, but at the same time, there is a certain air of contentment around him. He walks up to the cashier and orders two smoothies.

Rook picks up his order and heads toward Ben, who finally notices his partner. Rook sits down next to Ben very cautiously and edges one smoothie toward him.

Ben looks at Rook strangely. Rook has never bought Ben a smoothie before unless something bad happened.

"Rook, what happened?" Ben asks cautiously while taking the second smoothie gratefully.

"N-nothing has occurred," Rook fumbles.

"Come on, Rook, I _know_ you. You only buy me smoothies when something bad happens."

"Well, it is not bad per say, but you will certainly be angry about it."

"What did you do?" Ben takes a huge sip of his smoothie.

"Gwen and I...we kissed."

Ben chokes. He sputters and coughs. He is not really surprised. It is not weird that those two kissed. They have gone through the same things and bonded. They are also pretty similar.

Nevertheless, Ben is a bit annoyed. 'Seriously? Gwen?' he thinks angrily, but then he calms down. 'This could be good. This could work out for me.'

"Ben, are you alright?" Rook asks with much concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he replies, wiping the smoothie off of himself. "In fact, I'm great. This is _great_! You can date Gwen and I'll date your sister. It'll be like a 'Family Member Exchange Program.'"


End file.
